Most Career Tackles in NFL History
In the NFL, tackles are a key indicator of a defensive player’s consistency and toughness. Similar to how quarterbacks are evaluated based on passing yards and running backs on rushing stats, linebackers build their reputation by locating the ball and making tackles. Ray Lewis holds the record for the most career tackles in NFL history, finishing his legendary career with 2,059 combined tackles.
Photo Credit: Elkman8102 at English Wikipedia, CC BY 2.5 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5>, via Wikimedia Commons
Top 5 Most Career Tackles in NFL History
Here are the top 5 players with the most career tackles in NFL history, highlighting the unmatched toughness and consistency that define the greatest linebackers ever.
| Rank | Player | Career Tackles |
| 1 | Ray Lewis | 2,059 |
| 2 | London Fletcher | 2,039 |
| 3 | Bobby Wagner | 2,000 |
| 4 | Junior Seau | 1,847 |
| 5 | Jessie Tuggle | 1,805 |
Ray Lewis (2,059 Career Tackles)
Career: 1996-2012
Teams: Baltimore Ravens
Ray Lewis played his entire 17-year career with the Baltimore Ravens, recording 1,568 solo tackles and 2,059 total tackles. Additionally, he recorded 41.5 sacks and 31 interceptions making him the only player in history to achieve over 40 sacks and 30 interceptions. He topped the Ravens in tackles 14 times and was selected for 13 Pro Bowls. He also won two Super Bowls and received two Defensive Player of the Year awards.
London Fletcher (2,039 Career Tackles)
Career: 1998-2013
Teams: St. Louis Rams, Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins
London Fletcher played 16 seasons and piled up 1,384 solo tackles and 2,039 total tackles. He also recorded 39 sacks and 23 interceptions finishing just behind Ray Lewis in total combined tackles. He achieved 14 consecutive seasons with over 100 tackles and never missed a game throughout his 256 career appearances.
Bobby Wagner (2,000 Career Tackles)
Career: 2012-present
Teams: Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, Washington Commanders
Bobby Wagner has been recognized as one of the top linebackers since he joined the NFL with the Seahawks in 2012. He has accumulated a total of 1,867 combined tackles which includes 1,017 solo tackles along with 39.5 sacks and 15 interceptions over 219 games. He recorded over 100 tackles in nearly every season and posted 158 tackles in 2025 while playing for Washington.
Junior Seau (1,847 Career Tackles)
Career: 1990-2009
Teams: San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots
Junior Seau had an impressive career spanning 20 seasons and ended his career with a total of 1,847 tackles including 1,522 solo tackles. Additionally, he recorded 56.5 sacks and 18 interceptions which solidified his status as one of the most well-rounded linebackers in history. In the 90s, Seau was the cornerstone of the Chargers defense helping them reach their first Super Bowl in 1994 where he made 155 tackles that season.
Jessie Tuggle (1,805 Career Tackles)
Career: 1987-2000
Teams: Atlanta Falcons
Jessie Tuggle known as “The Hammer,” spent all 14 of his seasons with the Falcons. He accumulated a total of 1,805 tackles with 1,639 of those being solo tackles. Additionally, he recorded 21 sacks and 6 interceptions which made him one of the most effective linebackers during the ’90s. Tuggle achieved 12 consecutive seasons with over 100 tackles and surpassed 200 tackles twice in 1990 and 1991.
